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Alex Rodriguez (aka ARod) was born on 7/27/1975 in New York, NY, and was drafted by the Seattle Mariners with the 1st pick of the 1993 MLB Draft. ARod only played for three teams during his MLB career; Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, and the New York Yankees, but last a long-lasting impression on the league.
SHOP ALEX RODRIGUEZ ROOKIE CARDS ON EBAY
In his first entire season (1996), he made an immediate impact jacking 36 homers with 123 RBIs and a mind-boggling .356 batting average… whoa!… he placed 2nd in the MVP race that year. He hit 57 home runs in 2002 with 142 RBIs and 1.015 OPS.
Unfortunately, he made the unwise decision to use PEDs and confessed: “Yes, I used steroids from a fake Miami doctor…”Following his impressive rookie season, ARod had a dominant career. He made 14 all-star teams, won the World Series in 2009, and was the AL MVP on three occasions. He also received the Silver Slugger Award 10 times from 1996 to 2008.
Like Barry Bonds, we still expect him someday to make the Baseball HOF but with an asterisk. If you are looking to sell an Alex Rodriguez baseball card, please email us at sell@goldcardauctions.com.
Top Rookie Cards
Let’s look at the top-rated A-Rod rookie cards from an investment standpoint. We’re limiting ourselves to four here, but keep in mind that there are several other options on the market.
1994 Alex Rodriguez SP Foil RC #15
One of the more popular Alex Rodriguez RCs and one of the most expensive. The 1994 Alex Rodriguez SP FOIL RC shows a smiling, proud-looking A-Rod that seems to say yes, I’m a big deal.
The SP Foil card is #15, and the back reads, “A promotional to Jacksonville was 1993 No. 1 Pick Alex Rodriguez’s reward for his phenomenal start to 1994. In 65 games with the class-A Appleton Foxes, the shortstop batted .319, with 14 homers, 55 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases…”
This card is usually available on eBay and not hard to find, but still a great card for any ARod fanboy.
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1994 Alex Rodriguez Leaf Limited Rookie Phenoms RC #10
This card is slightly more challenging than the Upper Deck card, as there were only 3 for sale on eBay at this write-up.
The card is #10 and shows ARod throwing the ball in a blue Seattle Mariners jersey.
1994 SP Holoview Blue Alex Rodriguez Rookie Card #33
This is a gorgeous Arod rookie card and is probably our favorite. The card features Alex walking with his bat and glove with a crazy orange sky behind him.
Numbered #33, the back reads, “Seattle’s top selection – and the top selection overall – in the 1993 amateur draft, wunderkind Alex Rodriguez has erased any doubt that the Mariners made a wise choice. At the end of May 1994, the 18-year-olds first professional season, Rodrigues led class-A Appleton in hits, doubles, triples, homers and RBI’s. He also had 10 steals and was named the Midwest player of the week twice.”
1994 Alex Rodriguez Rookie Card Flair #340
A reasonably inexpensive ARod rookie card can sometimes be found on eBay auctions. The card is #340 and shows a picture of Rodriguez before and after hitting a baseball.
His name is printed at the bottom center of the card in cursive with a gold color ink look.
Alex Rodriguez Rookie Card Values
ARod rookie card values should steadily increase over the years (think blue-chip stocks).
It looked like ARod’s rookie cards would tank in value after all the PED scandal hurt his public image. However, against all odds, he has rebuilt his public image through his broadcasting career.
When news broke about ARod’s PED use, he initially denied it, hoping to avoid repercussions. However, as time passed, he learned to embrace his past. He isn’t proud of what he did, but he has been able to move past it.
He is no longer a person defined by the mistakes he made 10 years ago. Now, he’s self-deprecating about the situation. His sense of humor and willingness to own up to his mistakes has rebuilt his public image.
As a result, his rookie cards regained value after it looked like they might tank after his playing career. They are still solid investment options that should steadily increase in value for many years.
If you would like an estimated value of your ARod rookie card, please email us pictures at value@goldcardauctions.com.
Checklist
- 1994 Alex Rodriguez Collector’s Choice RC #647
- 1994 Flair Rookie Card #340
- 1994 Fleer Update RC #86
- 1994 SP FOIL Rookie Card #15
- 1994 Sportflics Rookie & Traded RC #148
- 1994 Upper Deck RC #24
- 1994 Alex Rodriguez Score R/T Redemption Card #HC1
- 1994 Action Packed Rookie Card #1
Investment Outlook
- Investment Rating: Buy (3.5 out of 5)
- Ownership Disclosure: None
- Best Alex Rodriguez Rookie Card: 1994 SP Foil RC #15
Rodriguez indeed did have some fantastic seasons without PEDs and would have likely made the HOF without their help… having said that; I guess we will never know for sure.
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We’re not huge fans of ARod and aren’t too interested in holding too many of his rookie cards, but we feel they have some value.
If you are a fan and want to buy 1 or 2 of his rookie cards, go ahead and do so, as they should have a decent ROI… we just feel there are better ways to spend investment dollars than Alex Rodiguez’s cards… check, please.